Love Hurts
by sykilik101
Summary: Remake of Didn't Expect This. After getting lost, Ash and Co. meet up with Gary. During a battle between the rivals, someone's life is threatened, and now it's a race against time. OneShot AAML


**This is the spiffed-up version of "Didn't Expect This". This is a different (slightly higher rated) version of the original. In my opinion, it's way different than the first one. But hey, when inspiration knocks, you answer it. And this idea is what was left at the door.**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Pokémon. I never will. If I did, I wouldn't be writing this fanfic. I would just make it into an episode.

**Dedication:** I'll dedicate this to Silverflare07. This was originally gonna be a Tragedy, but since she wanted a happy ending, she got it!

**Ages:**

Ash: 14

Misty: 14 (and a half)

Brock: 17

Gary: 14

Delia: 37

* * *

Love Hurts (Literally!)

* * *

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

Brock sighed. The fighting was getting old, and he was getting a headache. Ash and Co. were on their way to Pallet Town for a visit, and they had gone through Viridian City. Having gone through the forest so many times, Ash thought that he knew where he was going. Misty and Brock argued, saying that they would get lost if he led them, but Ash wouldn't give in. Eventually they gave up, and let him lead the way. Unfortunately, they were right about him getting them lost.

"No, I didn't get us lost!" Ash yelled.

"Then how'd we get lost out here in the middle of the forest!" Misty screamed, just as loudly.

"We're not lost Misty!" Ash retorted, his voice getting even louder.

"Oh, yes we are!" Misty yelled.

"No, we're not!"

"Yes, we are!"

"NO, WE'RE NOT!"

"YES, WE ARE!"

"Will you guys please be quiet?" Brock asked, trying to calm them down.

"STAY OUT OF IT, BROCK!" Ash and Misty yelled. Brock just backed away. For the next few minutes, Ash and Misty just stood there, yelling back and forth at each other. Pikachu had tried to stop them, only to be glared at by Misty and even Ash. Brock's headache was reaching its peak, and he was starting to get annoyed. Really annoyed.

"SHUT UP FOR A SECOND!" Brock roared.

Ash and Misty froze, surprised at Brock's yelling. Brock eyed the position they were in. Ash was grabbing Misty around her neck with his arm, while Misty was trying to break free with one hand, with the other about to punch Ash in the stomach. They were both looking at him with surprise, their mouths open in utter shock. They looked at each other, then immediately backed away and looked in opposite directions, their arms crossed. Brock simply shook his head.

"The fighting's getting a bit old, and I'm getting a headache." He said, rubbing the side of his head. "Ash, do you know where we are?"

"Of course I do! We're…uh…well…" Ash actually didn't know where they were, he just didn't want Misty to be mad at him. It was one of those things that made him feel bad. In reality, he liked her, but he never told her. He felt that Misty would just turn him down and leave the group. He didn't want that, so he kept it to himself.

"I knew it! I knew we were lost!" Misty yelled. She didn't want to yell at Ash; in fact, it broke her heart to do so. She liked Ash, as more than just a friend, but she feared rejection. She was scared that he would just leave her, breaking her heart. So, she argued with him to hide her secret, plus the getting lost routine was getting old.

"I told you, we're not-"

"Quiet!" Brock interrupted, not letting Ash finish.

"Ash, Misty, I'm tired of your fighting. If you guys don't hurry up and tell each other how you feel, I'll-"

"WHAT!" Ash and Misty screamed.

"Well…I…" Brock started, but he never got the chance to finish his sentence.

**xxxxx**

_5 seconds later..._

**xxxxx**

Brock was face-first in the ground, with two huge bumps in his head, one being from Misty's trusty mallet, the other from Ash. He quickly regretted saying that, but he did know that they both cared about each other, as more than friends. They just needed a little push.

"DON'T EVER SAY THAT AGAIN!" Misty yelled, fuming. Her face was as red as her hair from both embarrassment and anger.

"That's not even funny, Brock. Me and Misty, together?" Ash said smugly.

"Well, what do you know? Something me and Ash can actually agree on." Misty said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ash growled.

"It means that you always do something wrong, that's what I means!" Misty yelled.

"Well, at least I'm not some scrawny runt who always-"

Ash couldn't finish, as Misty's mallet came into contact with his head. He was lying on the ground, with a bump bigger than both of Brock's bumps combined.

"You call me a scrawny runt one more time, and I'll make sure you won't get out of bed for a week!" Misty said menacingly.

"So, it seems like Ash can't succeed in Pokemon Training or girls." A voice said from behind a tree. Ash and Misty looked to see Gary stepping out from behind the tree.

"What do you want, Gary?" Ash scowled, rubbing the bump on his head gingerly.

"Well, I was on my way to Pallet, when I heard some yelling. I walk over to see you arguing with your girlfriend, and your pal there, lying on the ground like he was hit with a-"

"HE'S/SHE'S NOT MY BOYFRIEND/GIRLFRIEND!" Ash and Misty yelled simultaneously, their heads WAY bigger than their bodies.

"Sure, whatever." Gary muttered under his breath.

"What was that?" Misty asked, holding her mallet and facing Gary.

"Oh, nothing." Gary said, shrugging.

"No, I want an actual answer, Gary!" Ash yelled.

"Well, why are we so mad, Ash?" Gary asked, a grin of his face.

"Everyone always thinks that me and her are boyfriend and girlfriend! She started following me around for her bike! When we first met, I took her bike and accidentally had it destroyed! That's why she's been following me! What I can't figure out is why she's followed me around all these years just…for a…stupid…" Ash suddenly stopped. Gary was confused, not knowing exactly what Ash was talking about. Brock figured that Ash knew the truth. Misty's body tensed up. 'What if he finds out?' she thought to herself.

Now that Ash thought about it, it didn't make sense to him. Why would Misty follow him around for this long? Sure, he owed her a bike, but if she had just gone home and saved up her money, she would've had a new bike long ago. He turned around to look as Misty, who immediately looked away. Ash's eyes narrowed in confusion. Why had she looked away?

"Misty?" Ash asked slowly.

"I'll…um…be right back." She mumbled, walking away into the forest.

"Misty, wait!" Ash called out, but she just kept on walking. He tried to run after her, but Brock held him back.

"Just let her be alone for a while, Ash." Brock suggested, having recovered from the pain in his head.

"What's going on here? Why did she run off when I mentioned her bike?" Ask wondered.

"It's about more than the bike." Brock said.

"Then what's wrong?" Ash asked, even more confused.

"Man, you're really as lame as I thought you were." Gary said. "It's easy to see that, even though you fight with her, she-"

Brock quickly put his hand over Gary's mouth.

"Don't say anything to Ash. He needs to figure it out on his own." Brock whispered.

"Like that's ever gonna happen…" Gary chuckled.

**xxxxx**

Ash, Misty, Brock, and Gary finally made it out of the forest (thanks to Brock and Gary). Although Misty had started to act like her old self again, Ash was still worried about her. She usually didn't run off like she did.

"Misty, are you ok?" Ash asked.

"I'm fine, Ash. You don't have to worry about me." Misty said, a slight hint of annoyance in her voice.

"You're lying." Ash said.

"No, I'm not." Misty grumbled.

"Yes, you are." Ash retorted.

"No, I'm not!" Misty yelled.

"Yes, you are!" Ash snapped.

"NO, I'M NOT!" Misty screamed.

"YES, YOU ARE!" Ash roared.

"Hey, Ash?" Gary asked.

"What is it? I'm kinda busy." Ash stated, still glaring daggers at Misty.

"Up for a Pokémon battle?" He inquired.

"You're on!" Ash grinned, his anger disappearing in a matter of seconds. He turned his hat around, and headed to a part of the field that was flat, perfect for battling.

"Thanks." Brock whispered as Gary walked by him.

"No problem. Their arguing was starting to get on my nerves." Gary mumbled back. Brock could have sworn he saw a grin planted on Gary's face as he walked to his side of the battlefield.

As the two trainers took their places across the plain, a small gust of wind blew across the field.

"So, what'll it be, Gary?" Ash asked.

"How about a 1-on-1 match?" Gary suggested.

"Alright. Ready, Pikachu?" Pikachu jumped off Ash's shoulder with a "Pika".

"I figured. Alright, Umbreon, come on out!" Gary threw his pokeball, releasing his dark Pokemon.

"You'd better watch out, Gary. My Pikachu's more powerful this time." Ash declared.

"You're the one who had better watch out, Ashy boy. My Umbreon's also got some new moves." Gary called.

"This will be a 1-on-1 battle. The first trainer to defeat his opponent's Pokémon will be the winner. Are both trainers ready?" Brock asked, judging the match.

"I'm ready." Ash said.

"Same here." Gary announced.

Brock nodded. "Let the match…begin!"

"Umbreon, use Night Shade!" Gary commanded.

"Dodge it and use Quick Attack, Pikachu! Knock it up into the air!" Ash yelled. Pikachu jumped to the side, then ran towards Umbreon, ramming into it. It went spiraling into the air.

"Now, use Thunderbolt!" Ash yelled.

"Piiiiikaaaachuuuuuuu!" Pikachu let out a loud cry, releasing the attack. Umbreon, being up in the air, couldn't dodge the attack, and ended up being hit by the full attack.

"Umbreon!" Gary cried, watching it slam onto the ground. Slowly, it got up, although it looked beat.

"Alright, Umbreon, use Moonlight!" Gary commanded.

Umbreon began to glow, and a transparent moon appeared in the moon. A beam shot out of it and hit Umbreon, restoring its energy.

"Pikachu, hit it with Thunder before it fully recovers!" Ash yelled.

"Piiiiikaaaachuuuuuuu!" A large thunderbolt erupted from Pikachu, heading straight for Umbreon.

"Umbreon, move out of the way and use Confuse Ray!" Umbreon leapt out of the way, just barely dodging the attack. Its eyes glowed blue, and Pikachu suddenly started to move around in a dizzy fashion.

"Pikachu, are you alright?" Ash yelled.

"Pi…ka…" Pikachu mumbled, too dizzy and confused to respond.

"Now use Tackle, Umbreon!" Gary commanded. Umbreon rushed forward, plowing into Pikachu and sending it flying through the air.

"Pika!" Pikachu cried out in pain. It slammed down hard onto the ground.

"Pikachu, can you keep on fighting?" Ash asked worryingly.

Pikachu rose to its feet. It had been in many battles, and could take a Tackle or two.

"Alright, use Shadow Ball, Umbreon!" Gary commanded. A black orb appeared above Umbreon, and it fired towards Pikachu.

"Dodge it!" Ash yelled. Pikachu jumped out of the way, but the attack kept on going. Towards Misty.

"Misty, look out!" Ash cried.

Misty braced herself for the attack…

**xxxxx**

It never came.

She felt something push her to the side. She opened her eyes to see that Ash had just pushed her out of the way.

"Ash, watch out!" She cried.

She could only look on horror as the attack crashed into Ash. He went flying back towards a tree. However, the tree branch that Ash was headed for wasn't exactly flimsy. It was stiff, and had a point.

Ash slammed into the branch, and the branch pierced his chest. His cry of pain pierced the sky.

The rest of the group was rooted to the ground, too shocked to move. Words couldn't express how they were feeling. Their hearts literally stopped as they watched Ash's body hang from the tree. The tree branch broke, and he fell to the ground.

"Pika Pi!" Pikachu ran over to its trainer, tears in its eyes.

Misty was the first to come to her senses and ran towards Ash. Ash got up and sat down, but he reeled back, the pain too extreme for him. Misty burst into tears as her anger started to grow.

"Ash Ketchum, don't move! You just got stabbed, so don't even think about getting up!" she scolded.

"For your information, I'm still okay." he retaliated.

"For YOUR information, you're NOT still okay! Look at how much you're bleeding!" She screamed.

"I said, I'm-"

Suddenly, he stopped. He immediately clutched at his chest, his eyes shut tightly in pain.

Misty's temper immediately melted away, only to be replaced with worry. "Ash, are you okay?" she asked.

"Don't worry, I'll be alright. I promise." He grinned with one eye closed, standing up and using the tree to support himself.

"Ash, why did you do that?" Misty asked him.

"I didn't want you to get hurt. I could never forgive myself if something happened to you." He replied.

"Ash…" She whispered worryingly.

Brock and Gary soon came around, and went to aid Ash. They winced when they saw Ash with a tree branch through him.

"Does it hurt?" Brock asked.

"Yes, Brock, it hurts." Ash replied.

Brock tried to remove the branch, but Ash yelped in pain and jumped back.

"Hey, whatdya do that for?" he screamed.

"But Ash, we can't keep it in there." Brock replied, trying to reason with him.

"Taking that thing out wouldn't be the best idea right now." Gary stated.

"Why do you say that?" Brock asked.

"The branch is the only thing keeping his blood in. If you take it out, Ashy-boy'll bleed to death." Gary replied.

"I guess so." Brock shrugged.

"Come on, we'd better get him over to a hospital." Gary said. He knelt down with his back facing Ash. Brock helped Ash onto Gary's back, and he slowly rose up.

"Where's the closest hospital?" Gary asked.

"The Viridian Hospital is just nearby. If we hurry, we can still save Ash." Brock urged, making his way to the hospital. Gary quickly followed him, with Misty bringing up the rear.

"Misty, try to keep him awake. Falling asleep wouldn't be a good idea." Gary huffed as he continued to follow Brock.

"Got it." She replied. She ran up next to Gary and looked at Ash. His eyes were open, but he looked tired and in pain.

"Pika…" Pikachu said quietly.

"Ash, hold on. We'll be there soon." She pleaded.

He nodded. "Misty, I'm sorry."

She blinked. "For what?"

"For yelling at you. I was the one who got us lost. And I'm sorry for calling you a scrawny runt. You're not a scrawny runt. You're my best friend." He said hoarsely.

"No, I'm the one who should apologize. I shouldn't have yelled at you so much." She insisted.

He smiled, but then his eyes drooped, and eventually, closed. Misty gasped.

"Ash, wake up!" She cried. When he didn't awaken, she turned to Gary.

"He's unconscious!" She informed him.

Gary gritted his teeth. "Brock, how much farther?"

"It should be around this corner." He replied back. They turned the corner, and saw a huge white building, with a red cross on it. They burst through the door, startling the woman behind the counter, as well as the other guests waiting.

"Please help! My friend's in trouble!" Misty cried.

"What's wrong?" The woman asked.

"He was stabbed through the chest with a tree branch." Gary answered calmly.

"How long has it been in there?" She gasped.

"About 10-15 minutes. We managed to stop most of the bleeding, but we don't know if he's okay or not." Gary replied.

She immediately picked up a phone next to her computer. "Dr. Kilik, we have a patient with a chest puncture wound. I need an OR available ASAP." She hung up and suddenly, a stretcher was wheeled out.

Gary gently removed Ash from his back and placed him on the cart. He was immediately wheeled away into a different room. Misty tried to follow, but a nurse held her back.

"I'm sorry, but only patients are allowed back here." She explained.

"But my friend's hurt!" She cried, trying to get loose from the nurse. Her grip didn't loosen.

"I understand, but you would only get in the way. You want your friend to be okay, right?" She asked. Misty nodded.

"Then just have faith in him. I'm sure he'll be okay." She said kindly. "Now please have a seat. We'll inform you when we know exactly what's wrong."

Misty took a seat, grabbed a magazine, and started flipping through the pages. However, she couldn't get her mind off of Ash. Would he be okay? Would he be able to live through this? Would he…die? She shook her head. No, Ash couldn't die. Wouldn't die. He was too strong for that, right?

15 minutes passes.

He had overcome every challenge that was presented to him, so this wouldn't be any different, right? She then hung her head low. This situation was different. She couldn't swim out and save him, like in the Orange Islands. She couldn't go and get an antidote for him (from "A Stun Spore Detour").

30 minutes passed

She could only wait. Wait and hope that Ash would live through this. Tears began to run down her face, but she quickly wiped them away. She had to be strong. For Ash and for herself.

She glanced at the clock. 45 minutes had passes. What could be taking them so long? He just had a tree branch through him. Why would it take so long?

A nurse walked up to her. "Are you the friend of Ash Ketchum?" she asked.

Misty immediately jumped up. "Yes, that's me! How is he? Will he be okay? Why is it taking so long?" She assaulted the nurse with questions for a full 30 seconds before she was silenced by the nurse.

"After examining his body, we've discovered that the branch has scratched against each of his lungs." She explained plainly.

"And? What does that mean?" She asked.

"The lungs are like balloons. They expand when filled with air, and get smaller when the air is expelled. If the balloon is damaged in any way, it can no longer hold any air. And with lungs, not only can a person not breathe, but blood might start seeping into the lungs. As a result, he could…drown in his own blood." She finished sadly.

Mist felt like she had been hit with a lightning bolt. She didn't know what to do; what to say. She dropped to her hands and knees. Silent tears dripped from her eyes down to the floor.

"What can we do?" She asked eventually.

"Well, we've already removed the branch. However, we…aren't sure if he'll survive the procedure. If you like, you can visit him before the operation. Would you like that?" She asked.

"Yes, please!" She cried, jumping to her feet.

The nurse smiled, and led her through the door that she had been denied access into before. Misty wiped away her tears as she followed the nurse down a few hallways.

Eventually, they came to a door engraved with the numbers "406". The nurse opened the door and led Misty in.

She nearly fainted when she saw Ash. His face was white, and his cheeks were bright red. There were many wires in and out of him. He was wearing an air mask. And where the wound was originally, there was nothing but a bandage. She was glad; she didn't want to see him with a hole in his chest.

"He's awake, but still fairly weak. Try not to push him that hard." She said, closing the door behind her.

Misty slowly walked over to Ash and grabbed his hand. It was icy cold. Tears began to stream down her face again, but this time, she didn't bother to wipe them away.

"Ash?" she whispered.

Ash's eyes slowly opened. He looked over to Misty, and she saw a smile behind the mask. He grabbed her hand, and with his other hand, began to form letters on her hand.

"Hey…Misty." She said out loud.

"How are you feeling? Are you okay?" she asked.

He began to write again. "I'm…a…little…scared…but…I…know…that…I'll…be…okay."

"Ash, you'd better get through this. You still owe me a bike, remember?" Misty reminded him sternly, but sadly.

"Don't…worry…about…me…I'll…be…alright." He then stopped writing, and she saw his eyes close. She was about to call a doctor, when she saw his chest slowly rise up and down. She sighed. He was only sleeping.

She looked at him with a content face. _"He looks so cute when he's asleep."_ She leaned down and gave him a kiss on the forehead.

"Please get better soon, Ash. I love you." She whispered.

"Aw, isn't that cute?" Misty wheeled around to see Brock standing there, with Pikachu at his feet. Her face immediately turned bright red.

"Brock!" She exclaimed in surprise.

"Am I interrupting something?" he smirked, crossing his arms.

"He was, I mean, um, I was just…hoping that he gets better?" She ended her statement as though it were a question.

"Come on, the doctors said that it's time." Brock told her.

She nodded solemnly, and turned to look at Ash one more time.

"_Please get through this, Ash. I don't know what I'd do without you."_ She thought.

With that, she turned and headed out the door, placing her faith in Ash and the doctors.

**xxxxx**

"_So, how is he, doctor?" Misty asked, tears threatening to flow down her face._

_For some reason, the doctor couldn't look directly into her eyes._

"_We've done all we can, but we were too late. He passed away just a minute ago." The doctor replied sadly._

_Misty's eyes widened in fear and sadness. He was gone; gone from her life; gone forever. She was never going to see his face again. Or here his goofy laugh again. Or see his warm smile again. Tears started to form in her eyes, and they slowly cascaded down her face_

_She ran out of the hospital, not caring if anyone saw her cry. It didn't matter anymore. It wouldn't matter anymore. She couldn't live her life; not without him. As she reached a cliff overlooking the sea, she wiped the tears away from her face. She looked out to the ocean, knowing that this was the last time she was ever going to see it again. Taking one final breath, she stepped off the edge and plunged towards the ocean, whispering his name._

"_Ash…"_

**xxxxx**

"Misty, wake up!"

Misty immediately sat up, tears streaming down her face. She looked around to see that she was lying on a bed.

Brock was sitting on a chair next to her bed. He had a worried look on his face.

"Misty, are you okay? You were crying in your sleep." He told her.

"I'm okay." She replied slowly. She suddenly remembered what had happened. "Where's Ash!"

"Don't worry about him. The doctors are performing the operation right now." Brock answered her.

She calmed down a little, but Brock knew that she was still worried.

"How about we get something to eat? You haven't eaten anything since we brought Ash here." Brock suggested.

"I guess I am a little hungry." Misty agreed, putting her hand on her stomach.

"Yeah, come on." Brock said. They made their way to the cafeteria. On the way, they passed by the lobby. They saw someone enter the hospital. It was Delia, Ash's mom.

"Hey, Ms. Ketchum." Misty called out. She saw the two teens and ran towards them.

"Hello, you two. How are you today?" She asked. They knew that she was trying to be optimistic.

"Besides what happened, we're alright." Misty replied.

"What exactly happened?" She asked seriously.

"Misty and I were just going to get something to eat. Why don't you join us? I'll explain it to you there." Brock said.

"That sounds lovely." She smiled.

After explaining the situation to her, and after eating a much-needed meal, the three returned to the lobby. Suddenly, the PA turned on.

"Would a Misty Waterflower, please come to the waiting room?"

"I wonder what's up…" Brock thought aloud.

Not wanting to wait, Misty stood up and headed for the waiting room. The first thing she noticed was that the doctor she'd seen earlier was there. However, his expression wasn't really a happy one.

"Are you Misty Waterflower?" The doctor asked.

"Yeah, that's me. You must be Dr. Kilik." She replied.

"That's correct. We just finished the surgery with your friend." He informed her.

"So, how is he, doctor?" Misty asked.

"Well…" he started. "It's hard to say. We've managed to suture up his lungs, but we can't say whether or not he'll live. We've done all we can." He explained.

"There isn't anything else you can do?" She asked.

"All we can do is hope that he'll be okay. That's all." He replied.

She nodded slowly, then turned around and headed for the waiting room. Sitting down on one of the chairs, she put her elbows on her knees, and her hands on her palms.

"Come on, Misty. Cheer up. I doubt that Ash would want you to be this down because of him." Brock said.

"Pika Pika." Pikachu added.

Misty took a deep breath and sighed. She didn't know what to do. She knew that Brock was right, but she couldn't help but worry.

"Come on, how about we go to bed?" Brock suggested. Misty turned her head to see that it was already 11:35.

"Alright." She replied, getting up and heading for the Pokémon Center.

**xxxxx**

"Misty, wake up. We need to go."

Misty slowly opened her eyes to see Brock staring down at her.

"Wha?" she questioned sleepily.

"The hospital just called. They said that they have something to tell us. Gary and Ms. Ketchum are already there." Brock explained.

Her eyes snapped open. "Why didn't you say so?" she exclaimed. She jumped out of bed, got dressed, and burst out the door.

They stepped into the hospital doors, and were immediately greeted by Gary.

"You sure took a while." He said.

"What did the doctors want?" Misty asked.

"Not sure yet." He replied.

Just then, Dr. Kilik, as well as a nurse, walked through the doors.

"Oh, hello everyone." He greeted them.

"Why did you call us here?" Brock asked.

"We…have something to tell you." He said hesitantly.

"What's wrong? Is Ash going to be okay?" Misty asked.

"Ash…is dead." The doctor said sadly. "He died just a few minutes ago."

Misty froze, unable to even move or speak. She dropped down, and her knees slammed against the cold tile floor, but she didn't feel it. Misty felt numb. She wanted to scream, to get rid of all the pain.

"You're lying. He can't be dead." Gary said shakily.

"I'm sorry. His lungs reopened, and he passed away before we could reseal them up again." He informed them.

She didn't want to believe what the doctor was saying. But he knew that it was true. He could hear Delia crying and yelling, as well as Brock, but it was all inaudible. She couldn't understand a word they said. It was all a blur. Slowly, a deep sleep crawled upon her, and she knew no more…

**xxxxx**

"Misty, wake up."

She heard a voice calling to her, but she couldn't make out what the person was saying. But the voice…it sounded so familiar.

"Please, Misty, wake up."

The voice was a lot clearer now. She knew who the voice belonged to, but…it couldn't be.

"Come on, Misty, wake up."

She slowly opened her eyes, and was greeted by a pair of chocolate brown eyes. They looked so familiar, so warm, so caring…but also so happy. As if the greatest thing in the world had just happened to him.

"Misty, you're awake!"

"Ash?" She said slowly.

"Yeah, it me, Mist." He replied happily.

Misty's eyes started to tear up.

"Ash, you're alive!" She exclaimed, sitting up and hugging him. She then immediately clutched her head, for it had started aching in pain.

"Ow…what happened?" She asked.

"Well, when Gary and I were battling, his Umbreon used Shadow Ball. Pikachu dodged it, but you were hit by it." Ash explained, still holding on to her.

"But you…I mean…you were…and then…" The words tumbled out of Misty's mouth.

"What's wrong? Are you alright? And why were you so surprised that I'm alive?" Ash asked.

"So…it was just a dream?" Misty said to herself.

"A dream? What are you talking about?" Ash asked, confusion evident in his voice.

"I had a dream. You were the one that was hit by the attack. A tree branch had gone through you, and you…" She couldn't bring herself to finish.

Ash smiled. "You don't have to say it. I can figure it out." He said.

"You can actually figure something out without mine or Brock's help?" Misty asked jokingly.

"Aw, come on, Misty. I can still think, like you and Brock." Ash replied sheepishly, rubbing his hand behind his head.

Misty just grinned, and Ash returned it.

The door opened, and Brock, Delia, Gary, and Pikachu appeared.

"Pika Pi!" Pikachu cried, jumping onto the bed and onto Misty.

"Hey, Pikachu!" Misty said, petting him behind the ears.

"Pika cha…" Pikachu sat down and enjoyed the massage Misty was giving him.

"Hey, Misty. You're finally awake." Brock said.

"Yeah, I just woke up right now." She replied.

"How are you feeling? Are you okay?" Delia asked.

"Besides my head hurting, I'm alright." She answered.

"It's too bad you weren't awake to see Ash." Brock said. Misty noticed that Ash started to blush.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"After you were hit, he was the first one to worry about you. And after we brought you here, he never left your side." Brock replied.

"How long was I out?" Misty asked.

"About 4-5 days." Brock said calmly.

"WHAT!" Misty yelled.

"I'm just joking, only 2 days." Brock chuckled.

"You're lucky I don't have my mallet with me, Brock." Misty said.

"Don't worry, I made sure to keep that safe." He assured her.

She sighed softly, turning to face Ash. "So Ash stayed with me for that long?" His face grew even redder.

"I'm gonna take my Pokémon to the Pokémon Center!" Ash exclaimed, grabbing a confused Pikachu and tearing out of the room.

"What was that all about?" Gary asked.

"I think I know." Brock replied.

**xxxxx**

_A few hours later…_

**xxxxx**

Misty had finally been allowed to leave. After changing into her classic clothes, she left the room and went into the waiting room. The hospital, oddly enough, looked exactly like the one in her dream, so she had no trouble finding it.

"Huh? Where's Ash?" She asked, not finding the boy in the room.

"He's still not back. I don't think he went to the Pokémon Center at all." Delia told her.

"I figured that much." Gary added.

"Wait, we're in Viridian City, right?" Misty asked.

"Yeah. Why?" Brock asked.

"I think I know where he is." Misty said, and with that, she dashed out of the hospital.

She ran down one of the streets, out of the city, and towards the road. There was a sign that said, "This way to Pallet Town." She knew that Ash had gone this way, but not to go to his home. No, he had gone somewhere else.

**xxxxx**

Ash kicked a rock into the water, and his reflection twisted and swirled until it was normal.

"_Man, why does Brock always have to say stuff like that?"_ He thought. _"Is he purposely trying to let Misty find out?"_

"Pika Pi Pikachu." Pikachu piped up.

"I know, Pikachu. I know." Ash said.

"Pi Pikachu Pika Pika?" Pikachu asked.

"I just wanted to come here for a while." Ash replied.

"Pika Pika Pikachu?" Pikachu asked.

"No, it's not that, Pikachu." Ash grinned.

"Pika?" Pikachu asked, jumping off the log and facing Ash.

"Don't you remember this place?" Ash asked, looking up at the waterfall.

"Pikachu. Pika Pika." Pikachu responded.

"Right." Ash said.

"Pikachu Pika Pikachu." Pikachu stated.

Ash blushed a little. "I thought you would've known by now."

"Pika Pika." Pikachu shook his head.

"I've been told it's obvious." He defended.

"Pika Kachu?" Pikachu asked.

"Well, yeah." Ash replied.

"Pika Pika Pikachu?" Pikachu inquired.

"Because I don't know what'll happen." Ash stated.

"Pikachu Pi." Pikachu insisted.

"But what will I do if Misty doesn't love me back?" Ash asked.

"Why wouldn't I?" Ash quickly spun around to see Misty standing there, breathing heavily, as though she had been running.

"Misty! When did you get here!" Ash asked, shocked at Misty's sudden arrival.

"Well, if you must know, just now." She said in an annoyed voice.

"Oh." Ash returned nervously.

Then, an awkward silence. Ash was red, mainly from knowing that Misty had heard one of his deepest secrets, especially since it concerned her. Misty was also red, partially from all the running she had done, and also that she had heard Ash say that he loved her. Well, he hadn't said that exactly, but she could read between the lines.

"Ash?" Misty asked after what seemed like an eternity.

"Yeah?" Ash asked.

"Did…you mean that?" Misty asked shakily.

"Well…" Ash couldn't find the right words to say. He was at a crossroads. He could tell her the truth, but he might lose one of the best friendships he's ever had. Misty was easily his best friend; there was no getting around that. She had always been there for him, whether it was cheering him on during a match, or helping him when he had a problem. He knew she was different than his other friends. She never left him during his first three adventures. From the day he started his adventure in Pallet Town to the day she had to leave him to go home, she had always been a friend when he needed one.

And then, there was the off chance that she would return his feelings. That everything he had wished for would come true. He shook his head. _"No, that couldn't be right. She just thinks of me as a friend. She'd never feel that way about me."_

He could lie to her. He could just say that he was just daydreaming, or he was tired and he didn't know what he was saying. However, he knew that she wouldn't buy that. He had said it clearly and openly. So, there was only one choice. He took a deep breath and let out his answer.

"Mean what?" Ash wondered, with a sincere look of confusion planted on his face.

"You know what I mean, Ash Ketchum." She replied, taking a step forward. He didn't back away. "Do you really…love me?" She seemed to be pleading for him to say yes.

"Misty…" Ash still couldn't bring himself to say it.

"Hm." She said, closing her eyes and grinning. She walked forward, past Ash, and looked up at the waterfall.

"What's up?" Ash asked.

"It's funny. I never thought that this would be the place where I would meet the one person who would change my life forever." She said, as though in her own world.

Ash blushed. _"Is she talking about me?"_

"You remember this place?" He asked.

"How could I forget it?" Misty said. "This is the place where you stole my bike."

Ash face-faulted. _"Not that bike again!"_

Misty smiled. "And it's also where I met you, Ash." She turned to face him. He could see a small blush on her face.

Ash smiled, and walked over to her. He placed her hand in her hair, then removed the ribbon that kept her hair up. Slowly, her delicate red hair flowed down.

"Ash!" She exclaimed, although quietly.

He grinned. "Please, Misty. You look even more beautiful without it."

She blushed madly at his last remark. _"Did he actually say that?"_

He then pulled her into a hug. "I _do_ love you, Mist. I'm just sorry that I couldn't tell you earlier."

She pulled back. "Earlier? How long have you felt this way?"

He looked up, as though thinking really hard about it.

"A while, I think." He replied.

"A while?" Misty asked, raising her eyebrow.

Ash smiled. "Getting pulled out of a river really works up a guy."

Misty smiled back, then pulled back into Ash's arms.

"Do you love me?" Ash asked, as though hesitant.

"There's no one else, Ash." Misty replied softly.

Ash's smile grew even bigger, as he rubbed his hand through her silk-like hair. It smelled of spring flowers. He felt perfect; not even becoming a Pokémon Master would make him feel this good. He pulled her back to look at her face. She had to be the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. And he knew that their friendship would never be the same.

As they sat on the log, watching the setting sun and the rainbow of colors painting the sky, Misty was hit with a question.

"Ash?" She asked.

"What is it, Misty?" He replied.

"You said that you've always loved me, right? Then why didn't you ever tell me?" She asked.

"Well, even though you were my best friend, we always seemed to argue. I thought you would hate me, so I just kept it a secret." He replied.

"Ash, I couldn't hate you." She protested.

"After being insulted by you and being hit by your mallet so many times, you think I was truly convinced you didn't hate me?" Ash grinned.

"I guess you're right. But I can think of a way to make it up to you." She smiled.

"And how will you be doing that?" Ash inquired, smiling back.

"Like this…" She said, and pulled his lips to hers. It was Ash's first kiss, as well as Misty's, so they both did their best to put all the love they had for each other into it. It brought many memories of their childhood; how they would argue over every little thing, the times where they actually got along, and especially the moments where they knew that they loved the other. They wanted to stay like that forever, but breathing became something of an issue. Regretfully, they both pulled back.

"Well, that was a start." Ash said.

"Just don't get used to it, bub." Misty giggled.

"I'll find a way…" Ash replied. He then picked her up bridal style and started carrying her back to Viridian City.

"I love you, Ashton Satoshi Ketchum." Misty said.

"And I love you, Misty Kasumi Waterflower." He replied, leaning down to kiss her once more, under the glow of the moonlight.

**xxxxx**

So, whatcha think? I told you it was different from the original. I did my best to keep everyone in character. If I didn't, then blame it on the lack of seeing any episodes for…the longest time. I mean, I can't find a channel that shows the original episodes.

This is my longest one-shot to date. Hooray!

Well, see you next story!


End file.
